A Different Kind of Magic
by thedoctorslittlegirl
Summary: Merlin's younger siblings, Emilia and Casper, come to stay with him in Camelot. They both appear to have entranced King Arthur: Casper is appointed the Court Squire and Arthur spends his spare time fawning over Emilia. But will the young spirits cause Merlin to slip up and reveal their secret?
1. Chapter 1

If anyone asked what exactly the siblings wondering into Camelot were like, most would describe them as two sides of the same coin. Emilia skipped happily singing a small tune she had learned from an older girl in their village, while Casper walked with his hand down and his hands in the pockets of his trousers.

But of course they were both awfully kind at heart. As a young child passed them carrying a stolen loaf of bread and a man waving a knife followed him, they noticed. Emilia blocked the child's path while Casper stopped the man from chopping their heads off.

"Please sir, don't kill me. My mother is sick, and my older brother is always working, I'm just trying to keep my little sister from starving to death." The young boy said. Casper looked to Emilia giving her a pitiful look and she smiled.

"We will pay for the loaf." Emilia said.

"In fact, give this boy a carton." Casper said, reaching into his pocket and placing the appropriate amount of money for an entire carton of loafs of bread.

"Fine then." The man replied.

Emilia and Casper walked the young boy, Every, back to his small home. They had to both duck their heads at the size of the doorway. There was a small sound of a little girl whining and a mother coughing. Every led them into the room where a woman laid on a bed while a small girl clutched her stomach.

"Every, who are these people dear?" The mother asked.

"Mother! They've bought us a whole carton full of bread!" Every shouted.

"What are you talking about?" The mother asked as the little girl walked over to Casper. Casper leaned down and opened the carton for her to see the amount of bread in there.

"Woah." The little girl said.

"What's going on in here?" A young man said behind them. Emilia moved so that he could enter the bedroom and he looked suspiciously at them but they just smiled.

"Duncan look what they've bought for us." Every said showing the boy the box.

"How can I ever repay you?" The mother asked, sitting up.

"Well as long as Every stays out of trouble here, we'll call it even." Casper said leaning down and brushing the young boy's hair.

"Now we really out to be going, our brother is waiting for us." Emilia said pulling her brother out of the house. He bid goodbye and watched as Duncan split a loaf between the four of them.

The pair walked in comfortable silence, however Emilia kept her head down much like her brothers only looking up to turn and when she did she would smile at someone returning her head to the downward position. Funny enough, Casper was the one to break the silence.

"Reminded me too much of ourselves at that age." Casper said kicking the dirt at their feet.

"Mother would have chopped your head off if you had done what that boy did." Emilia said with a sigh.

"What mother doesn't know, won't hurt her." Casper said. Emilia looked up and over at her brother for a minute but then she laughed. He laughed as well and soon the pair were in hysterics for no reason at all in the middle of the town.

Merlin paced the king's bedroom quietly, Arthur was supposedly working but he had spent most of his time looking out the window down at Gwen. He swears to God that Arthur spends more time thinking about his personal needs than his kingdom's, not that Merlin came blame him he is an awfully attractive male who could have any women or man for that matter in Camelot.

"Merlin! You're going to put a hole in the floorboard!" Arthur shouted throwing his hands down on the desk.

Merlin jumped either at Arthur's volume or the loud noise but either way it made Arthur feel slightly guilty. The blonde sighed circling the desk until he stepped forward catching Merlin's attention.

"Is there something you need, sire?" Merlin asked.

The name made Arthur shiver, any other time he would gotten a little pride boost from it but right now it made Arthur realize that sometimes Merlin didn't treat him as the friend he should. Yes he was his servant, but first off he was his friend and he only wished for Merlin to see that.

"Merlin, what's the matter?" Arthur asked.

"I'm very impatient." Merlin said and Arthur chuckled.

"I know that." Arthur said.

"I just can't stop pacing." Merlin said almost starting to pace again but Arthur grabbed him by the shoulders to stop him. Merlin hissed as Arthur squeezed unintentionally and mumbled an apology. Just then there was a knock at the door, Arthur let go of him and a knight came in.

"King Arthur, am I interrupting?" The knight asked.

"No, what is it?" Arthur asked.

"Well there is two young people at the gate-" The knight began to say but didn't get the chance to finish as Merlin ran past him and out the door.

"Merlin!" Arthur shouted following him.

Merlin's heart was beating fast, not only had the king grabbed him in such a fierce way that kind of scared him but as he nearly tripped on the steps he felt his breathing oddly irregular which didn't help him. He could hear Arthur behind him but chose to ignore him as he caught a glimpse of dark brown hair by the gate.

"Merlin, as your King I order you to stop!" Arthur shouted running down the steps. But as Arthur reached the bottom he watched Merlin run up to the pair.

"Emilia!" Merlin shouted as he lifted her up in the air and spun her around. After she hit him over the head he set her back on the ground, with a goofy grin across his face that Arthur only got to see once in a while.

"Casper!" Merlin shouted, he reached over and brought the boy's head in his armpit. He messed with his hair and Arthur smiled knowing that Merlin had learned that move from himself.

Arthur laughed as the boy tried to fix his hair, but what Merlin did next surprised him. Merlin brought the door in close and despite the distance Arthur could see tears falling from his face. He didn't enjoy watching Merlin cry, so he stepped closer to the three, noticing that now they all were crying. The boy looked up at Arthur and coughed, causing the three of them to break apart momentarily.

"Merlin?" Arthur asked.

"Oh, right. Emilia, Casper, this is King Arthur Pendragon." Merlin said motioning to Arthur with his hand.

"Nice to meet you." Casper said shaking Arthur's hand.

Arthur motioned towards the girl but she gave him a look that told him to put his hand back. Merlin apparently didn't notice so Arthur just waited for Merlin to continue with the introductions.

"Arthur, these are my baby siblings. Emilia and Casper." Merlin grabbed each one of them by wrapping his arm around their neck as he said their name but the three laughed so it was okay.

Casper and Merlin shared the same hair color, while Emilia's was slightly lighter. They didn't have quite as large ears, but Casper shared the bright blue color of Merlin's eyes, while Emilia's was green. As he watched them laugh harder, Arthur noticed they all had similar goofy smiles.

As they stood there, Arthur also took in their separate appearances. Emilia had on trousers, which was not common among girls her age in Camelot, and Casper's trousers seemed to be the exact same. However his seemed to be larger as he was a fit male and she was a fit male. They both wear tunics, she a green one and he a red one.

"Would you like a tour of my castle?" Arthur laughed.


	2. Chapter 2

Merlin followed behind his two siblings as he watched the blonde prince ramble on about the castle. By the time they reached the end, none of the four had noticed it was almost dinnertime.

"Oh dear, my sister will be awfully mad at us." Arthur said grabbing a hold of Emilia's hand and running toward the dining hall.

"Gwen as well." Merlin said. Casper and Merlin did their best to keep up, but they didn't have to try all that hard because Emilia was quite slow compared to them.

"Yes Gwen as well." Arthur said out of breath by the time they reached the set of doors.

Arthur gave them a minute, and then he opened the doors. Indeed sitting in their usual spots, Morgana at the end of the table with Gwen next to her. Arthur whispered something to one of the servants and they added two extra chairs.

Arthur sat down at the other head while Merlin sat right beside Gwen. Casper and Emilia took the empty chairs on the other side of the table. Once they got seated the servants served them dinner, normally Merlin would obtain Arthur's dinner but the king didn't feel like embarrassing him in front of his siblings so he had the others do it. Once the food arrived, Arthur was amused at how Casper and Emilia ate. It was like they hadn't been fed in years.

Merlin coughed staring at his siblings in silence. But at that moment Emilia looked up at him with sauce covering the side of her face. "What?"

Arthur chuckled, reaching over and wiping the sauce onto his napkin. Merlin stomped on his foot under the table but Arthur only stomped back, resulting in Merlin being in more pain than Arthur. Morgana giggled, but then took the time to ask the question on hers and Gwen's mind.

"So Arthur care to introduce your guests?" Morgana asked and Gwen coughed hoping to cover the bluntness.

"Well actually-" Arthur began.

"Emilia and Casper are my younger siblings." Merlin said, placing a piece of food in his mouth.

"So." Gwen said breaking the silence that had settled in.

"Are you staying for a couple of days?" Morgana asked.

"Actually I was hoping they could stay here. With work of course, but I just was thinking maybe as a favor." Merlin said waiting for Arthur to start yelling about how what a lousy servant he was asking him for things.

"Merlin, please. The amount of times you've saved my life, the least we can do is keep your little brother and sister around here for ya." Arthur said and Morgana nearly choked on her drink at how polite he was being.

"Well Morgana could always use another maid." Gwen said but this time it was Casper who choked on his drink and Emilia snorted. In fact, Merlin start laughing really loudly but the wizard's laughter had always been contagious to the king so soon he was laughing,

"What is so funny?" Morgana asked, thinking they truly had lost their minds.

"I'm sorry. Morgana. But the idea of my. Sister. Being your maid?" Merlin said through laughs.

"Priceless." Casper said wiping tears from his eyes.

"I'd like to think she'd do very well." Arthur said stopping himself from laughing.

"Trust me, I've never even put a dress on myself let alone someone else." Emilia said sweetly.

After dinner, Gwen was walking towards Arthur's room carrying a dress for the young Emilia when she stopped at the door listening to the conversation between the King and his manservant. Merlin walked over to the bed and picked up the King's chainmail.

"Merlin, why don't you let one of the other servants take care of that. You should go see how your siblings are settling in." Arthur said not looking up from his book.

"Okay, what is with you today?" Merlin asked slightly agitated.

"I beg your pardon?" Arthur asked standing up.

"You've been nice all day." Merlin said as if it were some sort of crime.

"Do you want me to stop?" Arthur asked stepping closer to him.

"Well yes, it's been rather distracting." Merlin said.

"I just didn't-" Arthur began.

"What?" Merlin asked.

"I didn't want to embarrass you." Arthur said shrugging his shoulders.

"Embarrass me? Since when have you worried about that?" Merlin asked, dumbfounded. Not once has his king ever thought such a thing when he sent him to the stocks, or made him throw around a sword to make a point.

"Your siblings seem to look up to you, I didn't want to break their metaphorical pedestal or something like that." Arthur said turning around so that Merlin couldn't see his face.

"Oh." Merlin said, making the shape with his mouth.

"Yeah." Arthur said tracing his hand on the desk.

"Thank you." Merlin said, bowing his head.

"You're welcome." Arthur said.

"I'll just go check on them, then. Goodnight Arthur." Merlin said starting to leave the room.

"And Merlin." Arthur said stopping him.

"Yeah?" Merlin asked.

"My chainmail." Arthur said with a smirk pointing to the bed.

"There's the King I know I love." Merlin said as he picked up the chainmail and carried it out of the room with him.

"Goodnight Merlin." Arthur called on the way out.

Merlin was humming happily when he ran into something soft. The chainmail and something else fell to the floor, causing Merlin to look up at Gwen. "Hello Gwen."

"Oh Merlin." Gwen blushed leaning down to help him pick up the stuff. But somehow Merlin got what looked a dress while she got the chainmail.

"Switch." Merlin said and they did so.

"Well actually, I was bringing this to Arthur so that he could give it to you." Gwen said, and Merlin raised his eyebrow at her.

"That's awful sweet of you Gwen, but that's not really my style." Merlin said nervously.

"No, I mean, it's for your sister." Gwen said and Merlin nodded.

"Why thank you Gwen." Merlin said.

"So switch. I'll take that to the armory for you." Gwen said.

"You really are the best." Merlin said kissing her cheek as she passed him.

Casper looked out the door of his bedroom, he was supposedly in the guest wing with his sister down the hall but he couldn't quite remember which side. Casper was walking down there when he bumped into something hard. He looked up at it was his brother, scowling at him. Merlin was not a very intimidating boy, Casper was however, but Merlin still managed to send a shiver down his little brother's spine.

"Where do you think you're going?" Merlin asked.

"To meet you." Casper said with a smile.

"Nice try." Merlin replied.

"Fine, I just was trying to find Emilia's room." Casper said in defense.

"Why?" Merlin asked.

"Because I haven't spent a night more than ten feet away from her in all my life. You know what happens, how the hell am I supposed to keep her safe when I can't find her." Casper said nervously pacing but Merlin took one of his hands from whatever he was holding and placed it onto his shoulder.

"Casper, she's literally right next door." Merlin said guiding him into his room and opening the joint door. Casper nodded but Merlin set what he was holding down on the dresser and brought his brother into a hug.

"Whatcha got there?" Casper asked pointing to the dress.

"Oh that, Gwen gave it to me." Merlin said shaking his head.

"Doesn't really suit you, does it?" Casper asked and Merlin shoved him.

"It's for Emilia." Merlin said, grabbing it and walking into his sister's room, she was sitting on the bed.

She was turned away, her green eyes lost in thought as she bit down on her finger nails. Merlin took the opportunity to set the dress on the dresser. He came up to her and took her hand in his own.

"What exactly do finger nails taste like? I've always been curious." Merlin said but Emilia retracted her hand, smacking his head playfully.

"What'd you bring me?" Emilia asked.

"A dress. From Gwen. So you'll wear it." Merlin said very quickly so she had no time to refuse. Emilia gave him a puppy look but he just lowered his brow and she dropped it.

"Merlin." She whispered almost not wanting him to hear.

Merlin crossed the room and brought her in for the same hug he had given to Casper. She sighed, relaxing against him. After bidding her goodnight, Merlin sat outside the door. He was waiting for the familiar sound of Emilia sleeping, he knew that once Casper heard it he would move from his space on the joint door and then Merlin could go to sleep.


End file.
